Rock Island is just one of the many Quad Cities metropolitan area locations served by Ruhl&Ruhl located on the Mississippi River. Rock Island's population is almost 40,000, and the total metropolitan area has a population of almost 400,000. This area also includes Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa, and Moline and East Moline, Illinois. This city is home to the Rock Island Arsenal, which is the largest government-owned weapons manufacturing arsenal in the US, and employs over 6,000 people. The original Rock Island, from which the city gets its name, is the largest island in the Mississippi River. It is now called Arsenal Island, and houses the Rock Island Arsenal.

History The Indian settlement of Saukenuk was located on the south side of the bluff between the Mississippi River and the Rock River, just above their confluence. This site (now in the city of Rock Island) may have been occupied by Indians as long as 12,000 years ago. In the 1700's, about 7,000 Sac and Fox Indians lived here in one of the largest Indian settlements in North America.

In 1816, a garrison of U.S. soldiers arrived and began constructing Fort Armstrong on Rock Island, the largest island in the Mississippi River. Riverboat traffic fueled the growth of several communities in the area. A city plat, under the name Stephenson, was filed in 1835. The name was changed to Rock Island in 1841.

The first railroad bridge to cross the Mississippi was constructed between Rock Island and Davenport in 1856. The Quad Cities became a major commercial and manufacturing center with roads, rail, and river barge traffic hauling the emigrants, supplies, and produce of the heartland of America.

The Rock Island Arsenal was established by an Act of Congress in 1862. It is today the largest arsenal operated by the United States, producing munitions for the U.S. Military and 6,000 local jobs for the Quad Cities economy. In 1875, Augustana College moved from Chicago to Rock Island and established its campus on the north side of the bluff.

Rock Island Community Rock Island is located on a bluff on the south bank of the Mississippi River directly across from Davenport. It is the county seat of Rock Island County. In 2007, the city won the "2007 Livability" award from the U.S. Conference of Mayors in the small-city category, making Rock Island real estate even more coveted.

The city covers an area of 15.9 square miles and has a population density of 2,402 people/square mile.

Attractions and Entertainment Rock Island is home to a variety of historic locations, including the Black Hawk Historic Site on the location of the Saukenuk Indian Village. The John Hauberg Indian Museum provides further insight into Rock Island's earliest residents. The Rock Island Arsenal has a number of interesting locations including the Arsenal Museum, the original home of Colonel Davenport, and a Civil War Cemetery. The Broadway Historic District preserves a 19th Century neighborhood. You can also visit the nearby Jumer's Casino & Hotel which brings a little bit of Las Vegas to the Rock Island area. The city is well supplied with green space along with riverside walks, nine parks, several golf courses, and the campus of Augustana College.

Attractions and entertainment opportunities for other Quad Cities communities are readily accessible to Rock Island residents.

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